Be careful what you wish for
by Amy V
Summary: Victoria's wish comes true


Be careful what you whish for

**Be careful what you whish for**

These characters are the property of ABC Family Channel and New World Productions. For entertainment purposes only

"As Alcalde of this pueblo I hereby find Jose Milano guilty for stealing a horse and the sentence is dead by hanging." Luis Ramon read his edict loud and clear. "You can't do that Alcalde he is innocent!" Victoria Escalante exclaimed. "I can and I will! Sergeant, do your duty" Ramon ordered. Mendoza reluctantly put the rope around Jose's neck, he gave Jose an apologetic look and whispered "I'm so sorry…" Just as Ramon was about to pull the lever that would send Jose to his dead a knife sliced the rope. "Zorro I knew you would help a fellow outlaw." Ramon said through clenched teeth. "I believe a man is innocent until proven otherwise, he has a right for a fair trail, and I will see he gets one" Zorro said his sword pointing at Ramon's neck. "Okay trail will be tomorrow at noon." Ramon reluctantly said. Zorro turned Tornado around, saluted to Victoria and rode away. "Lancers fire!" But as always Zorro was already out of reach…

Diego entered the tavern: "Ola Father, Victoria, I've heard I missed quite a commotion this morning. "Oh Diego you're never there when we need you. You're always busy doing some useless experiment. If it weren't for Zorro, Jose would be hanged" Victoria said. "But I've heard he gets a trail tomorrow, I could act as his lawyer" Diego volunteered. "Yes that's an excellent idea my son!" Alejandro clapped his son on his shoulder, sure his son wasn't Zorro but he could also help Jose. But Victoria wasn't so easy on him: "Sure if there isn't any danger then you volunteer, if it wasn't for Zorro you wouldn't have someone to defend to begin with! Really Diego when do you ever do something!" Victoria's words cut a deeper wound than the sharpest blade. Victoria could see the hurt in Diego's eyes. "Well someone had to tell him the truth" she thought. "If you'll excuse me I have a case to prepare…" and Diego left the tavern. Felipe who had heard the whole conversation gave Victoria an angry look and quickly went after Diego. Why was Felipe so upset, okay she had said some harsh words to Diego but it was true what she had said, Diego never stood up for the people, nobody would notice if he wasn't around…

Still upset Victoria went to the kitchen. She didn't see the sparkles in the air: it was Angel Fernando (_It's a wonderful Zorro season 2 Christmas Episode_) … Victoria suddenly felt tired.

When she woke up she heard a woman sobbing. She immediately went to see what was going on. She saw Rosalinda Milano bending over a body,.. it was Jose! No, this couldn't be true his trail was tomorrow. Victoria ran to Alejandro and asked him "How could this happen? Zorro just saved him." "Yes my dear but even Zorro can't save a convicted man, he was found guilty in the court of law" Alejandro sadly said. "But the trail was supposed to be tomorrow." Victoria said. "Are you feeling alright don't you remember the trail, Mendoza did his best to defend Jose but it was no use." Mendoza?" Victoria inquired. "I thought Diego was supposed to defend Jose" "Oh my, it's even worse than I thought" Alejandro lay a hand on Victoria's forehead to feel if she was having a fever "You really don't remember?" "No I don't please tell me?" she asked "Victoria there is no easy way to tell this: Diego died last year" Alejandro told her while tears welled up in his eyes. "No he can't be dead I just spoke to him!" "Stop saying this nonsense, Diego is dead Victoria we have to accept that fact and try to move on." "I'm sorry Alejandro, I'm not feeling that well, will you please excuse me" and she left the confused Don. Victoria sensed that Alejandro wasn't the person to ask how Diego had died he was still to emotional, but she had to find out so she decided to ask the person who couldn't possibly keep a secret: Sergeant Mendoza! She went to the tavern and was pleased to see the sergeant standing at the counter. "Ola sergeant, you're here for a plate of my delicious tamales I presume?" she asked with a smile. "No no I'm just here to collect your taxes, I don't eat here anymore" he replied. "Don't tell me you dislike my cooking?" "To be honest I lost my appetite ever since Diego died, I can't face all the lovely memories that hang here, so I just eat at the garrison." When she gave the sergeant a second look she could see he definitely had lost weight. But he had brought up the topic of Diego's dead so she had to ask him: "Sergeant could you please tell me how Diego died?" "You should remember you were there." he said. "Please Mendoza it's really important there is something terribly wrong, I don't think he was supposed to die, maybe if I know why he died I can undo it.." "Mendoza felt sorry for Victoria, the poor woman missed Diego terribly and couldn't accept that he was gone. She probably still blamed herself. Maybe she had blocked that awful memory out off her mind, maybe it was for the best that she didn't remember how he died. But something in her voice made him answer her question: "Well it happened last year, Don Diego was drinking his lemonade, he had just missed Zorro save an innocent from flogging when **someone** said to him that he never did anything useful like Zorro. Just then 2 bandits were robbing the poor box, Diego somehow managed to apprehend them but he didn't knew there was a third bandit, who shot him in the back." Tears were running down Victoria's cheek, although she already knew the answer she had to ask: "please tell me who told Diego that he never did anything, it was me wasn't it?" Mendoza just nodded. "What have I done I've killed Diego" and now she was shaking uncontrollably. Mendoza couldn't stand the sight, he tried his best to comfort the distressed woman: "It's wasn't your fault the man that took Don Diego's life was the bandit and he received his punishment for his sin. Please don't cry, that wouldn't make Don Diego happy" "Excuse me Mendoza I need to get some air" and she ran outside. She was walking towards the De La Vega hacienda when she passed by a small farm. She barely recognised it, it was the Gonzalez farm, they usually had the best crops from Los Angeles. She saw some lancers collecting taxes; Gonzalez couldn't pay them, the lancers where about to throw a burning torch on the roof when a whip knocked the torch out of the lancer's hands. "Zorro!" now everything will be alright Victoria thought to herself. Zorro could "persuade" the lancers to give the farmers some more time to collect the money. He saluted her and galloped away. To Victoria's surprise the farmers didn't look that happy, what's wrong with them Zorro just saved them? "Ola" she greeted them:"It's a good thing Zorro was around huh?". "What's the use, one of the farmers answered, yes Zorro comes to our rescue, but he never stays for long, he doesn't have the time to listen to us and really solve our problems, it wouldn't make a big difference if he wasn't here." Victoria couldn't believe her ears that was exactly what she thought about Diego… "But he gave you more time to pay the taxes" she said. "Yes he did but with this drought we won't have the money next month either!" Senor Gonzales said. "Off course you can, you just have to dig that irrigation system Diego drew for you last year" Victoria said. "Diego never drew us anything,… but if he was alive I'm sure he would, it really sounds like Diego, he would always help us. See the people of Los Angeles don't only need a hero, no what they need the most is a friend someone who will stand by them, help them with their daily problems." the farmer said. Victoria finally understood: Diego wasn't a dashing hero like Zorro but he did just as much to help the citizens, maybe even more! And she had accused him of not doing enough, oh she hated herself,.. He would surely hate her too, and now he was dead, she could never tell him how she really felt about him. It was all becoming too much for her and she collapsed. She didn't hear a voice whisper: "I think you've learned your lesson, my dear"

Victoria opened her eyes and looked around, She was back in her kitchen! Would this mean.. She didn't have time to think, she ran outside the kitchen and nearly bumped into Sergeant Mendoza. "Ah there you are I was just coming to check how long it would take to make my plate of tamales?" "Tamales?" Victoria pronounced the word like it was some alien dish "I thought you quit eating here." "How could I, you are a far too good cook!" Mendoza said rubbing his stomach suggestively. She smiled, if the Sergeant was back to normal would Diego be to? "I'm sorry Mendoza you'll have to wait for your tamales I've got to find Diego!" She left a disappointed Mendoza and quickly ran to the Guardian office. She didn't knock but just bursted into the tiny office: but her anxiety disappeared when she saw the handsome caballero alive and healthy sitting behind his desk. She sighed and just said "Oh Diego!"

"Ola Victoria, I'm rather busy at the moment with some as you called it useless pass of time so if you excuse me" Diego said, he was still hurt by her earlier comment and couldn't forget it so easily. But he didn't anticipate Victoria's reaction. She just walked up to him and hugged him tightly and whispered "Thank God you're all right, I couldn't live without you, I'm really sorry for the things I've said, I didn't mean them, actually I did at the time but now I know that I was wrong and I apologise, I don't blame you if you hate me forever." "Victoria I could never hate you" Diego said. "So you forgive me" she asked and for the first time dared to look up in his eyes. "Yes off course" Then she finally relaxed in his arms but she still held him tightly,.. Diego didn't understand what had come over the fierce woman he so loved, she seemed so helpless. "hmm Victoria you do have to let go of me so I can finish preparing Jose's trail." She had almost forgotten about the trail. "Off course Diego, I will leave you to do your work" and she reluctantly let go of her friend.

The next morning the citizens of Los Angeles were celebrating, no Zorro hadn't paid a visit, thanks to **Diego,** Jose was found innocent and therefore was once again a free man. Victoria threw a big party at her tavern for the pueblo's best friend: Diego!

_The end _

P.S I know that in the alternate world where Diego's dead, Zorro wouldn't exist either. But since it's from Victoria's point of view and she considers Diego and Zorro as two different people I thought Zorro should be alive. For the people who find this wrong, you can always say that the Zorro in the alternate universe is Felipe, he could have taken his mentors place and continue to keep the legend alive.


End file.
